Red Snow
by SiFi270
Summary: The year is 1872. While paying a visit to the Tsuruya family in England, Mikuru meets a girl who seems to become more strange and interesting every day. However, as the two get to know each other better, Mikuru seems to be close to learning something she shouldn't about this girl.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: NO THIS IS NOT ABOUT COMMUNISM

* * *

In 1868, when Haruka Tsuruya was twelve years old, she and her family immigrated to England. She never understood the reason for this, although she knew very well that her father didn't seem satisfied with Japan for some reason. Being a wealthy family, society treated them with more respect than they did other Asian people living in England, and as such, the family often found themselves invited to balls and other social events, and even hosted some of their own from time to time, which were attended by many.

Meanwhile, back in Japan, the Asahina family lived a mundane and ordinary life, and despite them being closely related to the Tsuruyas, they weren't much richer than most people living there.

One day, in 1872, the Asahinas were invited to England for a family reunion. Upon arrival, they were greeted with open arms, and the first hour of the visit was spent catching up on events that had transpired during each family's absence. Eventually, they decided to walk to the local park together, due to the pleasant weather.

It was in that park that strange events began to transpire.

Mikuru Asahina, the youngest child of her family, was not a very sociable person, and so she quickly found herself trailing behind while the others were walking as a group. Because she wasn't involved in the idle conversation transpiring in front of her, she was slightly more aware of her surroundings, which allowed her to notice something that others had missed.

Underneath the shade of two trees, a small, frail looking girl was lying on the grass, seemingly unconscious. She appeared at least a year younger than Mikuru, had short purple hair, and a dress that indicated that she was from a background just as rich as the Tsuruya family. Naturally, Mikuru felt an urge to approach her and offer help, which soon captured the attention of Haruka.

"What are you doing, Mikuru?"

Mikuru didn't answer, as she seemed to be completely engrossed in the simple act of walking towards someone. Haruka didn't find this particularly unusual, as Mikuru had often been somewhat absent minded, so she decided to look where Mikuru's gaze had been fixed.

Haruka let out a small gasp. "Who's that? How did they get there?"

Mikuru continued walking towards the stranger.

Haruka turned back towards the others. "Everyone! Mikuru's found someone, and it looks like she needs help."

Mikuru approached the stranger and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Are you okay?" She paused before moving the hand back and forth in an effort to wake her. Although it took half a minute or so, the girl eventually began to move. She was muttering something under her breath, but the people around her only understood one syllable.

"Su..." Haruka repeated. "Do you think she's trying to say 'Tsuruya'? Maybe she recognizes us..."

"She looks fairly languid," her father said. "I think it would be best if we took her home and allowed her to rest."

With a nod, Mikuru and Haruka helped the girl to stand, each of them taking one of her arms and placing it around their shoulders. Both were quick to realize that the girl was surprisingly light, even for someone her size, which made it considerably easier to support her.

* * *

The moment the door was closed behind her, the stranger already began to show signs of recovery, but still needed to lie down nonetheless. It wasn't long before she was able to form a coherent sentence, and she soon found herself faced with many questions, most of them from Haruka's father.

"What is your name?"

"Yuki Nagato," she said.

"So you're Japanese then, like us?" Haruka said in her native language. "You don't really look like it, with your pale skin."

"What happened to you in the park?" Haruka's father asked.

"I have a condition that causes exhaustion when I am exposed to sunlight for an extended period of time."

"Do you know where your parents may be?"

"My mother is dead," she said. "I am not sure where my father could be."

Mikuru frowned as she wondered why Yuki's father wouldn't prepare for an incident like this one.

"How were you separated from him before we found you?" she asked.

"I don't remember," she said.

"This is certainly troublesome," Mikuru's father said. "It doesn't seem as though we have many options."

"Can't she stay here?" Mikuru suggested. "I know there's plenty of room, and it won't be permanent."

Haruka began to laugh uproariously, and although Yuki assumed she was doing so in mockery of the idea, she decided differently upon noticing that Mikuru didn't seem to be offended.

"That would be a wonderful idea!" she said. "But first we should ask: Miss Nagato, would you like to stay here for a while?"

In response to the question, Yuki's eyes wandered around the room, eventually meeting with Mikuru's. When she spoke, she didn't seem happy, but Mikuru suspected otherwise, though she didn't understand her own reasoning for this suspicion.

"I cannot refuse. I am willing to stay in this household for as long as I need to."

* * *

A/N: "Let's set this in the 19th century. That shouldn't be a probOH DANG THE BRITISH ARE CRAZY RACISTS WHO ONLY TREAT OTHER RACES LIKE HUMAN BEINGS IF THEY'RE FROM A RICH BACKGROUND. OH DANG TSURUYA CAN'T SAY THOSE MODERN THINGS SHE SAYS. STILL NOT BACKING DOWN ON THIS FOR SOME REASON."


	2. Chapter 2

Over the next few days, the Tsuruya and Asahina families got to know Yuki better, but Mikuru in particular seemed to develop a close bond with her. This allowed them to learn more about one another than the others did, which only strengthened their bond further. In a way, it was like a completely harmless version of a vicious cycle.

However, it was far from harmless.

"So," Mikuru said, nervously pressing her fingertips together. "Are you willing to speak about your father?"

Yuki gave a minute nod that had previously been established as a trademark of hers, although Mikuru was usually the only one to notice. "My father is a count who lives far from this location. Even if I wanted to, I would probably be unable to find my way home."

"I..." Mikuru stopped herself, only beginning to take in what she'd just heard. "Even if you wanted to?"

"If I were to leave, I would no longer have the pleasure of your company," Yuki said.

"I see..." Mikuru blushed slightly as a tiny smile crept onto her face, as though unsure whether or not it was welcome. "Yes... I'd..." She coughed. "_I'll_ be sad to see you go. I'm sorry, I'm not really used to speaking English."

"I have yet to hear you speak any English," Yuki said.

"Ah... That's how bad I am!" Mikuru laughed nervously, which turned to disappointment when she noticed the confused expression on Yuki's face. After an awkward pause that must have lasted over five minutes, she spoke again.

"If your family is from a rich background, like the Tsuruyas, then maybe... Is your father often invited to social events, like dinner parties?"

"He is," Yuki nodded. "However, if you are planning on arranging such an events in hopes that he'll attend, you family will already have to be familiar with a Count Nagato, which seems unlikely."

Mikuru frowned. "It is... But it's possible that someone who _does_ attend might know him."

Yuki's eyebrows moved upward ever so slightly. "The day is still young. If we were to alert your family of this idea, they may be able to arrange something as early as this evening."

Mikuru nodded, looking considerably more confident than she usually did, and the two hurried downstairs to announce their suggestion.

* * *

Although Haruka's family was eager to agree with Mikuru's idea, few people were able to attend the event on such short notice. However, one of the people attending proved to be fairly helpful.

"Yes, I'm familiar with Count Nagato," he said. "However... he's certainly an elusive individual. I've been searching for him for a while now, for reasons I'm not at liberty to disclose. But I haven't had any success. So," he approached Yuki, "you're his daughter, are you? It's nice to meet you."

"Likewise." Yuki bowed. "If I may ask, what is your name?"

"You may refer to me as Mr. Arakawa," he said. "I'm a servant to the Koizumi family. However, they were unable to attend, so they sent me in their stead, along with their heir, Itsuki."

Haruka laughed loudly. "Is it my imagination, or is England full of Japanese immigrants at the moment? I think it's safe to say that we've officially taken over at this point."

The others laughed with her, save for Yuki, who focused her attention on Itsuki. Having met him and his family before, she knew that Arakawa wasn't telling the truth about why his family couldn't attend, and she also happened to know why both he and Itsuki were searching for Count Nagato. However, the matter was a private one, and so she chose to keep it as such.

However, Itsuki seemed to have other plans.

"I've heard that you don't recall the circumstances leading up to your separation from your father," he said as he walked up to her. "That's quite a predicament, if you don't mind me saying. I find the whole thing rather improbable, to be honest."

Although Mikuru didn't fully understand why, she took offense to what she'd just overheard, and, despite her nervousness, she found herself joining in on the conversation.

"I'm... I'm not sure what you're trying to suggest," she said, "but... I don't think I like it."

"I'd rather you didn't involve yourself in this more than you already have," he said. "You don't know Miss Nagato or her family as well as I do, so I'd advise against intruding on matters when you don't know the whole truth. In addition, I'd also like to advise against trusting everything this girl says."

"Excuse me!" Haruka quickly butted in on the conversation, looking far more sure of herself than Mikuru had. "With all the unwelcome remarks you've been making, you don't seem very trustworthy yourself! Keep in mind, you're only here because my family allowed you to be. They could change their mind whenever they please."

Although Yuki was the subject of what was a very active conversation, she contributed surprisingly little to it, and actually seemed to care very little for what was being said about her. This was most likely because her attention was now focused on Mikuru, who was feeling fairly disoriented as a result of the commotion happening around her. Although she was begging the others to calm down, she was barely heard, and the argument became more intense until she couldn't take any more.

"Mikuru!" Haruka tried to catch her cousin as she fainted, but Yuki was able to do so before she could. Satisfied that she was safe, Haruka looked around briefly to confirm that everyone had noticed this, and then returned her attention to Itsuki.

"I think it would be best if you left now," she said.

Itsuki smiled innocently. "If you honestly think that I'm to blame for this incid..." He stopped himself upon noticing the glare he was receiving from Yuki, amongst others.

"Heed her advice," she said. "Get. Out."

Itsuki glanced at Arakawa, who appeared to be staring intently at the exit. Soon, their eyes met, and they exchanged a nod before leaving. With the two gone, the remaining patrons gathered around Yuki and Mikuru, only to take a step back upon seeing her give them the same look she'd just given Itsuki. Without saying a word, she carried the unconscious girl out of the room, leaving the rest to wallow in an awkward silence.

* * *

"It seems she's grown attached to that girl," Itsuki remarked. "I wouldn't have expected someone like her to care like that for someone."

Arakawa nodded. "For a moment, it looked as though she would have killed you if you remained a moment longer. If you don't mind me saying, Master Koizumi, this pursuit of yours seems to be getting more dangerous each day. I'm sure that if you'd just..."

"Surrender is not an option," Itsuki interrupted. "You know what Count Nagato has done. My parents must be avenged."

* * *

A/N: "So why _is_ this set in 19th century England?"

It's a throwback to 19th century literature. Elaborating further would be a spoiler.


	3. Chapter 3

Before too long, Yuki and Mikuru were alone together again, with the latter lying in bed, still unconscious as Yuki watched over her. After a while, Yuki began to feel a growing urge, the likes of which she'd often felt in Mikuru's presence. She was once told by her father that she'd feel an urge like this; he said that, while society would not accept her if she gave into the urge, he encouraged her to do so regardless of what they, with their primitive ideas and values, might think.

Taking his words to heart, she soon found herself moving closer to Mikuru, her eyes fixed on the region above her shoulders. Her eyes closed slowly as she moved lower and lower, until she could feel Mikuru's skin touch her lips...

"Miss Nagato?"

With speed like lightning, Yuki sat upright and turned around, finding Mikuru's father in the doorway as he did so.

"I wanted to thank you for your help earlier," he said. "You've done so much for us, even though you're our guest."

"I am in your debt," Yuki said. "I dread to think of the predicament I would have been in had Mikuru not found me in the park."

"Even so," he said, "I feel you've paid this debt several times over since you came here. I sincerely believe that we owe you more than you owe us."

"Perhaps," she said. "However, I now have more reason to be grateful: Even in light of the accusations made by Itsuki Koizumi, you continue to trust me, which means more to me than you might suspect."

"We have no reason not to trust you." He smiled. "You have proven yourself as a true friend to the Asahina and Tsuruya families, and nothing that insolent boy says will change that."

For once, Yuki found herself at a loss for words. However, she was quickly able to recover, although the words she settled on were fairly simple compared to the rest of her vocabulary.

"...Thank you."

Mikuru's father nodded politely and left, leaving the two of them alone once more. Yuki was hesitant to try and continue what she was doing before she was interrupted, which quickly proved to be a wise decision when Mikuru began to wake up.

"Yuki?" She sat up in her bed and rubbed her eyes. "I just had the strangest dream..."

Yuki said nothing, simply waiting for her to continue.

"I was in this very bed," she began, "and there was someone else with me, but it was too dark for me to see them. They were moving towards me, and I knew somehow that they were going to drain my life... but then my father appeared, along with you, and the other person ran away... Do you think it means something?"

Once again, Yuki didn't answer as quickly as she usually did. "...I do not."

"Well," Mikuru shrugged, "I still think it's interesting nonetheless. Anyway... How long have I been unconscious? Are the guests still here?"

"It has been just over twenty minutes," Yuki said. "I have heard little activity downstairs, so I assume that the party is over."

"I see," Mikuru said. "I hope I didn't force anyone to leave early..."

"There is no reason for you to worry," Yuki said as she placed a hand on her shoulder. "For now, you should rest."

"Okay." She returned to her lying position and closed her eyes. "Good night, Yuki."

Yuki didn't move from where she was sitting.

"...Good night."

* * *

With the rest of the family in bed, Yuki and Mikuru were soon completely alone again, giving the former a perfect opportunity to act on her urge. However, this was irrelevant, as she did not actually feel the urge this time. However, she continued to stay in the chair she was sitting in, and eventually fell asleep on it. While she was asleep, she had a dream very similar to Mikuru's. However, went in a different direction from that dream.

It began, like Mikuru's, with an unknown entity trying to drain her life. It was here that the dream began to differentiate, as the entity actually succeeded in doing this, but this wasn't necessarily the end.

The next thing she knew, Yuki was with her father, who looked proud of her for some reason.

"What happened?" she asked.

"Nothing less than the greatest thing that has ever happened to you," he said. "The miracle of life... after death."

"I do not understand," she said.

"Can't you feel it?" he said. "We have ascended beyond the limitations of humanity. From this day forward, we are no longer servants to the day, but allies to the night. We have become..."

* * *

Yuki awoke with a start as she heard a loud noise downstairs. She decided to assume that a break-in was taking place, and went downstairs to confirm this suspicion. Upon arriving in the main hall, she found someone she'd been expecting to see again, but hoping not to.

"You have made a mistake in deciding to come here at night," she said. "In addition, coming here at all is just as big a mistake."

"I could say the same for you," Itsuki said. "I'm not sure why your father brought you here, but in doing so, he's brought me a step closer to finding him."

"If my father has planned something, then I am not aware of it," Yuki said. "We are close, but perhaps not as close as you seem to believe."

"It makes no difference..." he reached behind his back and produced an axe.

"Your rampage ends here, _vampire_."

* * *

A/N: Because this is the only twist I know how to do.


	4. Chapter 4

As one might expect, the battle between Yuki and Itsuki was intense. With Yuki's natural abilities as a vampire, and Itsuki unleashing the rage he'd been containing since his parents were killed, both proved to be formidable opponents to one another. Although Yuki would normally have been at an advantage in such a situation, she was currently taking great care to ensure that there would be no indication in the morning that this battle took place.

"I know what you're thinking," Itsuki said. "But the odds aren't in your favor. By tomorrow, this family will recognize you as the monster you truly are."

These words ignited a fire within Yuki for two closely connected reasons: The first was his use of the word 'monster', a word both she and her father had come to despise. The second was the indirect suggestion that Mikuru would fear and reject her if she were to learn the truth.

Because of her newfound anger, her next moves were considerably less cautious than those preceding them. In addition, her appearance changed to match her emotions, with her eyes glowing blood red and her canines visibly sharpening and extending. Combined with the image of her catching the axe's blade with her bare hand, it would have been very unfortunate if someone suddenly came downstairs.

Suddenly, someone came downstairs.

"What's going on down here?" Haruka mumbled, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. Once she had done so, she finally realized what was happening in front of her, and spent roughly ten seconds stuttering incoherently before screaming the word Yuki dreaded to hear.

"M-monster!"

Yuki froze on the spot, her appearance changing from that of a ferocious beast to a lost, helpless young girl. However, the damage was already done, and both Haruka and Itsuki concentrated their efforts on trying to drive her out of the house. Soon, other people began to come downstairs, and Yuki couldn't help but notice that many of them seemed more angry than they were afraid. This didn't actually matter to her, though, as she had dreaded both reactions equally.

"Leave this family, and return to the inferno from whence you came," Haruka's father cried, "you wretched child!"

Yuki's one consolation in this crisis was the fact that Mikuru had not woken up, allowing her to pretend that there was the slightest possibility that she hadn't reacted the same way the rest of her family had. In order to reinforce this so-called "possibility" to the best of her ability, she crawled with her diminishing strength out of the house.

Drawing as much energy as she could from the full moon, she ran as fast and as far as she could, leaving the manor far behind.

* * *

Eventually, Yuki found herself at the same park where the Tsuruya family had originally found her. Although she realized that as soon as the sun rose, much of her energy would be drained, she didn't care, and actually found this preferable than what she might have endured at the manor.

"If you stay there, they'll find you."

Yuki looked up at the source of the voice, only slightly surprised to find her father standing over her. Because of the mood she was in, she considered him an unwelcome sight, and although her mannerisms made that quite clear, he stayed with her regardless.

"I felt your pain," he said, "and before you escaped I was on my way to save you."

"I should have stayed," she said. "Had I done so, they might have killed us both."

"I will not let you die," he reminded her. "Even if that infernal Doctor Koizumi was willing to let you be claimed by leukemia, I will not stand for such an atrocity."

Yuki remained silent. She was well aware of what her father had done so that she wouldn't die. This didn't stop her from sometimes wanting to find the vampire he'd originally consulted and make things unpleasant somehow for them.

Finally, she spoke again.

"Leave me. Abandon me here, just as you did before."

It was now her father's turn to go silent.

"My dearest Yuki, you know I..."

"I know _nothing_," she said, "because that is exactly what you told me. I _might_ have forgiven you if things hadn't ended like this, but as far as I'm concerned, you deserve everything the son of Dr. Koizumi intends to do to you. I will ask you once more: Get. Out."

He tried once again to explain himself, but upon finding himself on receiving end of her powerful glare, he was forced to turn around, hang his head in shame, and walk away.

* * *

The next day, Yuki was in the exact same situation she was in when Mikuru had found her. She knew this was going to happen, and yet she accepted it. But at the same time, she was unsure of herself. She didn't know whether she wanted to be left alone, or to be found and killed. She didn't know whether she wanted to find her father and harm him grievously, or if she never wanted to see him again. But most of all, she wasn't sure about Mikuru. She didn't know if she wanted to be reunited with her, or if she wanted to spare her the torture she would no doubt endure if they were to see each other again.

Regardless of what she may or may not have wanted, someone came to see her, and Yuki immediately realized that, whatever kind of conversation was exchanged between them, everything would change afterwards.

"Yuki...?" Mikuru said. "This morning, I... I heard some things about you. And I'm not sure what to believe..."

"You should believe what your family told you," Yuki said. "I am... a monster..."

"I still don't believe it," Mikuru said. "You might be different, but you're not a monster."

"You don't know my kind," Yuki said. "They were not meant to be."

"I'll admit, I don't know much about..." Mikuru cleared her throat. "…vampires... It isn't as though there's a book about them that explains them in great detail... But at the same time, I don't think my family know anything about them either. In particular, they seem to think that all vampires are evil, and I know that's not true."

"How can you be so sure?" Yuki said.

"Because..." Mikuru smiled warmly. "..._you're_ not evil."

Yuki felt the urge to smile back, but some unknown force stopped her. "...Thank you. Although I hadn't realized it, that is precisely what I needed to hear."

"I'm glad." Mikuru knelt down and hugged her.

Yuki had an issue she wanted to address, but she was so happy that she decided it could wait. As such, the two remained as they were for several minutes, but eventually the issue was too much for Yuki to ignore.

"If your family catches you like this, they will not approve."

Mikuru's eyes widened, struggling to believe that she'd overlooked something so obvious when taking such a risk. "I... I should... But I don't want to leave you..."

"You must," Yuki said. "But do not worry. I will wait here for you."

"You can't!" Mikuru begged. "If you do, they're sure to find you."

"You can tell them I was not here," Yuki said. "They trust you. They'll believe you."

Mikuru nodded, wearing the same expression she wore when setting her plan to find Yuki's father into motion. With one last embrace, she turned around and ran off, stopping only to turn and wave goodbye.

Yuki waved back, feeling the happiest she'd felt since... She didn't know when, but she realized that it was probably before she had contracted leukemia.

* * *

A/N: I guess I can safely tell you now: This story is inspired primarily by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu's _Carmilla_, while also drawing inspiration from some other pre-Dracula vampire stories.


	5. Chapter 5

Mikuru fully expected to be scolded harshly for wandering out of the house without warning while a vampire was on the loose. Because of this, she was surprised to find Itsuki waiting calmly on a couch for her.

"You saw her," he said, attempting an inviting smile. "Where was she?"

"I don't know," she said. "Do you really think I'd return alive if she found me?"

"Perhaps not. Unless..." He stood and walked up to her, moving uncomfortably close to her neck. "...No. It seems that in spite of your questionable decision, you're still completely alive." He returned to the couch and a pose similar to that of a famous statue that had yet to exist. Recognizing his desire to be alone with his thoughts, Mikuru retreated into her bedroom, where Haruka was waiting for her.

"So where did you go?" She smiled much more naturally than Itsuki did. "Did you see her?"

"I went to the park," Mikuru said. "She..."

Suddenly, a huge lumped formed in her throat. She didn't particularly like Itsuki, so lying to him was easy. But lying to someone who was not only family to her, but also her best friend, was far more difficult. Not helping matters was Yuki's voice echoing through her head.

"_They trust you. They'll believe you."_

Tsuruya was quick to catch on to what the hesitation meant, and showed no such hesitation when she rushed outside the room.

"Haruka, wait!" Mikuru turned towards her and reached out, as though hoping her arm would extend and catch her. Regardless, her cousin ran, leaving her to stand there and dread what would soon follow.

* * *

Although the sun was causing Yuki a great deal of exhaustion, she was too happy to care, and actually found herself enjoying the warmth it provided. She couldn't explain it, but she just had a feeling that if anything went wrong today, it could be solved simply by her spending time with Mikuru.

Unfortunately, fate decided, as it often did, to prove her wrong.

"She's over there!" Haruka called. "Right where we found her the first time she was here!"

Quickly glancing towards the source of the voice, Yuki found a group made up of the men in the Tsuruya and Asahina families, led by Haruka and Itsuki.

Yuki took longer than one might have expected to realize what was happening, but when she reached a conclusion, her heart sank like a brick. Before she knew it, she was being attacked from every angle, causing her to constantly block pitchforks and other sharp objects while pondering what to do next.

Eventually, she reached a decision, but she didn't like it in the slightest. She decided that, since she'd been betrayed by both her father and Mikuru, she now had nothing to lose, meaning she had no reason to hold back when fighting. Despite this, an unknown part of her subconscious continued to restrain her, which affected her actions even more when she saw Mikuru rushing towards the scene.

"Yuki!" she cried. "You have to..."

"Mikuru Asahina."

All motion in the area stopped, with all heads turned towards Yuki.

"You..."

Yuki hesitated. Although she firmly believed that the words she was about to say were true, she could barely bring herself to say them.

"...You betrayed me."

"I... what?" Mikuru struggled to process these words just as much as Yuki had struggled to say them. "Yuki, no! I didn't! I _couldn't_!"

"I wish I could believe you," Yuki said. "But I can reach no other conclusion."

Although both Haruka and Itsuki knew the truth, neither of them saw a reason to clarify. As far as they were concerned, this kind of suffering was what a vampire deserved. What they _didn't_ believe she deserved was mercy of any kind, and so they continued their assault on her as though they'd never been interrupted.

"Godless fiends like you are the reason I left my home in Japan," Haruka's father said disgustedly. "They claimed to allow any religion, and yet Christians were still victims of prejudice."

Yuki wanted to point out the blatant hypocrisy in his statement, but she was being interrupted by injury after injury, with no time to regenerate. Just as she was about to abandon all hope of surviving another minute, something happened that she never would have expected, nor hoped, to see.

It began with Haruka's father lunging a pitchfork in Yuki's direction, only for Mikuru to cry her name and dive in front of her. Before anyone could even gasp, she landed on the ground, clutching her abdomen as a growing patch of red formed on her shirt.

By this point, everyone had realized what had happened, and none of them were moving. Although many stared with their mouth wide open, Yuki appeared the most horrified, but this quickly turned to rage as she looked up at the others. This visibly frightened them, but they were soon able to mask this behind equal amounts of anger.

"If you honestly believe that I am to blame for this incident, then it is beyond my power to cure you of your prejudices. You could learn much from this girl, and yet you choose to remain blind. She deserves far better than you as a family."

Itsuki's eyes widened. "You're not going to..."

And then, Yuki bit Mikuru.

Even more so than before, all motion seemed to cease. Even Mikuru seemed to be shocked, but after a moment she simply closed her eyes and let it happen. The bite seemed to last forever, with some intrigued, but most of them repulsed by the sight of it. Finally, it ended, and the two of them took a deep breath.

"You..." Mikuru's father grit his teeth furiously. "What did you do to her?"

"I have saved her life," Yuki said, "and in doing so, she has ascended beyond the limitations of humanity. However, she now faces new limits. Like me, she is no longer an ally to the day, but a servant to the night. But this was the only way to..."

"Enough!" Itsuki snapped. "I would sooner let death claim her than you, and now you've left me no choice..." He held his axe above his head. "I swear to you, Mikuru Asahina... Your soul will be saved."

"She will indeed be saved... Not by you, but _from_ you."

As though competing to see who could cause the most unexpected development, Yuki's father walked towards them with the grace and impact of a king.

"You have made me proud, my dear Yuki," he said. "Now, we shall dispose of these infernal humans... as a family."

"We are not a family."

Yuki's father stared at her in disbelief. "We... What do you mean?"

"In spite of their prejudices, these people have been able to show me how a true family treats one another," she said. "Simply put, they would not for any reason abandon one another the way you abandoned me. These people truly care for one another, and yet, in their own misguided way, they have shown the ability to let go and accept the death of a loved one. In this sense, I feel that there is something we can both learn from them."

He continued to stare at her, his eye noticeably twitching as he growled inarticulately. "You... understand nothing... You ungrateful child... You understand _nothing!_"

"Then perhaps you would like to explain," Yuki said calmly. "I have been waiting to hear such an explanation for a while now."

"And explain I shall," he said. "The reason I left you there was because I knew you'd be found. I knew that as soon as they found you, you would find a source of fresh blood. As we can both see, my plan went flawlessly. The fact that you were able to make a friend is simply a bonus."

"I see," Yuki said. "Yes... That certainly is easy to understand. In summation, you view humans as cattle, and your own daughter as bait for said cattle."

The count frowned. "If you truly see it as such, then you are as blind as the family you remain so hopelessly loyal to. As much as it pains me to say it, I rescued you from the clutches of death for nothing. But you're right about one thing: This family has helped me to realize that death can be a necessity. Although it will be painful for both of us, I am now finally willing to let you die, and I will do it with my own two hands."

Yuki responded by glaring at him, a sight which was all to familiar to everyone present at that point.

"You are welcome to try."

* * *

A/N: I think that bite scene is the most metaphorical and most blatant I've ever been with anything.


	6. Chapter 6

While Mikuru was at first immensely terrified to be involved in such an intense battle, she soon realized that, as a vampire, she now stood much more of a chance than she did before. In spite of this, she was still understandably unable to attack her own family, and while the logical answer to this was to focus her efforts on Yuki's father, he proved to be far more experienced and powerful than she was, as one might expect.

Yuki, meanwhile, had a similar objective, but a different problem. While she was far better suited to fighting her father, she often found herself too busy defending herself and Mikuru from the others to concentrate on this objective.

"You have made a mistake in turning against your own kind," Itsuki said. "Humans are constantly defeating your kind because we always stand as one."

"Your ignorance knows no bounds," Yuki's father said dryly.

Itsuki retorted by lunging with his axe, which was narrowly dodged, adding to his frustration. But as the battle continued, Yuki's father seemed to slowly lose focus; he was getting less aggressive, and each successful dodge seemed to have more and more to do with luck than skill. Yuki seemed to notice this more than the others, and she soon took advantage of it, finally being able to focus her efforts on Haruka and her family. Unfortunately, her father was just as able to take advantage of this, and he soon had his hands wrapped around Itsuki's neck, his grip tightening every moment.

"Stop!" Haruka begged. "Stop it! Don't you have any mercy?"

"His impudent parents showed no such mercy," Yuki's father said coldly. "And he has proven to follow in their footsteps. If this boy has ever deserved any mercy, that time has long since passed."

"Every word from your mouth disgusts me."

Yuki's father released his grip, and all attention went back to his daughter.

"There has been an utter lack of compassion in every sentence you utter," she continued. "It astonishes me more and more to think that you once wanted to save me from death."

"It was you who invoked this change," he said. "It was all of you. And while I certainly consider it to be a change for the better, I see no reason to express any gratitude."

"If you were grateful," Yuki said, "I would be deeply ashamed of myself."

Like Itsuki before him, Yuki's father had no response other than violence, and as much as the similarities disgusted him, he showed no hesitation when he struck his daughter and sent her falling to the ground. He began to advance threateningly towards her, but he once again found that focusing on a single target was a mistake.

Before he could even comprehend what was happening, Mikuru had one arm around his neck, and was pulling him back rather forcefully.

"Don't take another step," she said, fear and anger filling her voice in equal measure. "She's suffered enough already... and after what she's done for me... I won't let her suffer any more! In fact… I won't allow anyone here to die!"

At that moment, Haruka happened to look Mikuru in the eye, and she couldn't for the life of her explain what she saw. The red glow clearly showed the monster inside that she had succumbed to, but at the same time, she recognized those eyes that could belong to nobody but her beloved cousin. Neither interpretation seemed to outweigh the other, and in spite of her confusion, she finally reached a decision on behalf of her entire family.

"We're leaving."

"What?" Although Itsuki for the most part agreed with her idea, he refused to show this in front of his sworn enemy.

"We're surrendering, and we're going home," she said. "But there are conditions to our surrender. If we see any of you again, and there's more to it than chance, then we will not hesitate to attack."

Mikuru was visibly hurt when she realized that she was included in this statement, and when Haruka noticed this, she was equally hurt at her own words, but she hid this well.

"I am personally willing to accept this surrender," Yuki said. "I would like to add that I too will attack should I see my father again, through chance or otherwise. However, I will admit that I am reluctant to part with your family. In spite of your betrayal, I am still thankful for your hospitality."

Yuki's father did not speak, knowing that, having everyone else against him, he was in no position to make any demands or try anything funny. Although he didn't realize it until much later, he was still devastated to permanently lose his daughter, to death or otherwise. As he walked sadly into the distance, many, including Yuki and Mikuru, felt sorry for him, but most felt that, as a monster, he'd gained the comeuppance he deserved.

In the many years that followed, neither the humans nor the vampires heard from one another again, and neither side saw Count Nagato. Yuki at one point suspected that he had committed suicide, but in the end, this was nothing more than speculation, and she never received a definitive answer.

* * *

**2013**

In loving memory of

ITSUKI KOIZUMI (1857-1906) and HARUKA TSURUYA (1856-1910)

Yuki and Mikuru had been visiting this memorial for over a century now, and every time they were there Mikuru wept uncontrollably, leading Yuki, to whom she'd only been allowed to get married in spite of their long history together, to wish that she could somehow share the pain she felt. The two visited the memorial, ironically located in the same place where Mikuru had originally found Yuki, once a year, during which they did little more than stare at the grave and hold hands.

"Hurry up, Kyon! These vampires aren't going to find themselves!"

"Neither's a tiny bug living in my shoe, but that doesn't mean it's there!"

"If you had a tiny bug living in your shoe, that'd probably be the most interesting thing about you."

Yuki and Mikuru turned towards the source of the commotion, and in doing so found two Japanese teenagers, one male and one female, bickering with one another.

"Oh!" The girl looked at them upon noticing their stares. "Don't mind us. We're just looking for vampires."

"Vampires?" Mikuru responded as though she were a grandmother and the girl were her six-year-old grandchild.

"Yeah!" She nodded. "There's been rumors about them for over a hundred years, so we came to investigate! I'm Haruhi Suzumiya, by the way." She produced a card with her photograph that identified her as the founder of the 'SOS Brigade'. "This is Kyon." She pointed to the boy behind him. "He doesn't get a card."

"I don't _want_ a card!" he said. "And my name is…"

"They don't need to know that!" Haruhi dismissed. "Listen, do you have any information about these vampires?"

"Nothing, sorry," Yuki said. "But…" She smiled warmly. "...I wish you the best of luck!"

"Thanks!" Haruhi smiled back. "See, Kyon? These people hardly even know us, and they have plenty of enthusiasm! If you're not careful, I'll make _them_ members of the brigade, and they'll be ranked higher than you!"

Kyon just slapped his forehead and sighed. "Look, I'm sorry if we bothered you. This looks like a personal moment for you two, so we'll just be going now. Isn't that right, Haruhi?"

"I guess." She pouted. "Goodbye, tied-for-second-best members this brigade will ever have."

"Goodbye." They waved politely as they watched the two depart.

"Vampires…" Yuki echoed. "You don't think they're hunters, do you?"

Mikuru frowned. "From how they behaved… No, I don't think so. I think they just wanted to have fun with them."

"Things have changed," Yuki said. "Nowadays, people are so much more willing to accept that some people are different."

Mikuru smirked. "You're still talking about vampires, right?"

Yuki laughed. "Who can say?"

* * *

A/N: "I can't write an action scene to save my life! I know, let's cliffhang this story so that the final chapter will mainly be an action scene! I am nothing but good ideas!"


End file.
